Charca Suarez Wetlands
Motril, Spain

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The Charca Suarez Wetlands Are... Heavenly...

Walking into the Charca Suarez Wetlands Reserve is like walking into another world. You leave the hustle and bustle of town life behind you and enter a place of total serenity.

The reserve is made up of three large lakes and 5 smaller ponds, all chock-full of interesting plants and animals... some of which were almost extinct at one time.

Charca Suarez is an excellent place to visit while you're in town, continue reading to find out all you need to know… before you go….

10 Things to Know About The Charca Suarez Wetlands!

1. What are the Charca Suarez Wetlands?

The Charca Suarez Wetlands Reserve is a collection of lakes and meadows that are home to hundreds of important aquatic species.

It’s the MOST important wetlands area in the Granada Province so it is very well maintained and protected.

It's home to numerous endangered plant, animal, and bird species.

It's also a very important place to visit in order to learn more about your natural environment and how to take better care of it. For that reason, the reserve is often frequented by school children and has many observatories and interpretation centers for teaching them about the parks wildlife.

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Recommended Nearby Hotel:

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2. So, Where are the Charca Suarez Wetlands?

The Charca Suarez Reserve is just across from Playa Poniente along the coastal area in the town of Motril.

From the Motril town center, follow signs to the Motril Port. Once at the sea, take a right and drive along the coast going west. Just before you reach the parking area at Playa Poniente there will be a gate on the right-hand side of the road. It is not well marked so pay close attention as you near the beach.

3. The Charca Suarez Wetlands are Expanding!

This is GREAT news!

The Charca Suarez Wetlands have been such a success, in terms of providing these almost extinct animals refuge, the Junta de Andalucia has decided to enlarge it.

The project has already started, and the result will be a total size of double the area that it occupies today. This will allow for the creation of another large lake that will become home to many new bird species.

The project is being undertaken by a large team of volunteers.

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4. What Will You Find in the Charca Suarez Wetlands

Today the Charca Suarez Wetlands consists of 3 large lakes, small ponds, streams and numerous shady paths that run through wooded areas.

There are also almost ten different observatories scattered through-out that are popular with nature photographers and provide visitors with a quiet spot to observe the wildlife.

You will also find a small butterfly house.

5. Charca Suarez Plant Life...

The Charca Suarez Reserve is rich in natural vegetation. There are several aquatic plant species that can be found in and around the lakes that create the perfect environment for the birds and other animal life to thrive.

The typical plant species found in Charca Suarez are Bulrish, Iris and large bunches of reeds and sugar cane.

You will also see numerous willow trees bowing over the lakes as well as mature Poplars that give the wetlands its shade.

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6. Charca Suarez Animal Life...

The natural food chain is in full swing in the Charca Suarez Wetlands and you will find numerous animal and bird species living here together quite happily.

Some of the larger animals found in Charca Suarez are the red fox, wild boar, large tortoises, snakes, frogs and lizards.

White Owls are also very common.

7. What About the Birds...

The birds make up the largest portion of the population that live in the wetlands. There are 92 different bird species here and almost 51 are still endangered.

Most of these birds are easily seen walking through the reserve.

Some of the most interesting birds are the sparrows, the Savis Warbler, many types of heron and ducks.

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8. The Story of the Red-knobbed Coot

One of THE most endangered birds on the PLANET… can be found in the Charca Suarez Wetlands.

The Crested, or Red-knobbed Coot was almost extinct in the early 1990’s. As a result, Andalucía signed up with an international coalition to save them.

In 2013, eight of these beautiful birds (four couples) were released into the Charca Suarez Wetlands. The hope is that they will thrive in this protected place and continue to build their own colony.

In mid-2013 the first three coot babies were hatched, and the colony is doing well.

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9. When Can We Visit?

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10. Additional Rules and Expectations...

Silence is Golden! Please be as quiet as possible, so as not to disturb the animals.
No outside animals are allowed! (No Dogs)
Do not remove any plants or animals from the reserve
No eating or drinking
No smoking
Do not use flash on cameras
Do not throw rocks at the animals...

How to Get to Motril and the Costa Tropical

From Granada: Drive south on the A-44 for 45-50 minutes to reach the Motril Beaches.

From Málaga: Head east on the A-7 for 50 minutes to reach the Motril Beaches.